Eating more processed red meat is linked to an increased risk of dementia, study suggests
A diet rich in processed red meat is linked to an increased risk of dementia, according to new research presented Wednesday at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference in Philadelphia.
A diet rich in processed red meat is linked to an increased risk of dementia, according to new research presented Wednesday at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference in Philadelphia.
The findings, which have not yet been peer-reviewed, are the result of a four-decade study of more than 130,000 adults that looked at the link between diet and cognition.
“This is one of the most robust studies I’ve seen that’s associating processed meat consumption and dementia, because they actually followed individuals for decades,” said Dr. Maria Carrillo, the chief science officer of the Alzheimer’s Association.
The researchers found that the people in the study who ate at least two servings per week of processed red meat (such as bacon, bologna or hot dogs) had a 14% increased risk of dementia, compared to those who ate less than three servings per month, after the 43-year follow-up period.
The study also found that every additional daily serving of processed red meat was linked to an additional 1.6 years of cognitive aging, specifically in the area affecting a person’s language ability and executive function, which includes mental skills that control behavior.
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